Kids will learn about the origins of hip-hop, the music, and the culture in this entry in the Hip-Hop series, but they won't discover much about the controversy surrounding the lyrics and the lifestyle. The book begins with a visually eye-popping time line, then moves quickly through the roots of hip-hop--through slavery, the civil rights movement, and the black church. Musical influences included gospel, blues, jazz, funk, and rock. Readers will be interested to learn that DJs using turntables are considered the fathers of the music, that graffiti was an early part of the culture, and that countries as diverse as Turkey and New Zealand have hip-hop scenes. But although there are almost two pages about hip-hop and social activism, there's only one long paragraph entitled Hip-Hop and Crime, which notes that although many hate the violent and misogynistic images, defenders say they depict urban life. A wide-awake design, full-color photos, and a winning writing style put a positive spin on this musical phenomenon. Books and Web sites are appended. --Ilene Cooper Copyright 2007 Booklist